A Madison man was arrested on multiple charges on Labor Day following a police pursuit through yards in a residential area, a public park, and a convenience store parking lot.
Kendrick Franklin, 44, of Madison, faces charges of felony fleeing, failure to maintain lane, reckless driving, DUI, speeding, driving with a suspended license, hit and run, criminal damage to property, and terroristic threats and acts.
According to reports, Deputy Samuel Hutto was traveling south on Hwy 83 near Price Mill Road when he saw a silver 2007 Honda Accord heading northbound at 75 mph in a 55-mph zone.
Hutto reversed direction to overtake the vehicle and conduct a traffic stop, and saw the Honda make a right turn. Witnesses then flagged Hutto down and told him the Honda had jumped a curb, driven through a fence, and was now located behind a trash dump.
Hutto turned onto Wellington Road and found the Honda driven by Franklin.
According to Hutto’s account, Franklin drove off the roadway before making a left on Ruark Lane and accelerating to speeds in excess of 50 mph in a 15-mph zone.
Hutto concluded Franklin was endangering pedestrians in a nearby public park and continued to pursue. Franklin then turned into a driveway across from 1060 Ruark Lane and drove into the backyard and into the parking lot of the Marathon station in Bostick, where Franklin made a lap around the busy parking lot and headed back into the yard he came in from.
Hutto said the vehicle then stopped, and he exited his patrol vehicle with his weapon drawn.
Franklin was ordered out of the vehicle. A firefighter passing by assisted Hutto in arresting Franklin, and he was handcuffed and placed into the back of Hutto’s patrol unit.
Hutto said Franklin appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, so he did not perform the standardized field sobriety tests in order to prevent Franklin from escaping.
After Franklin was turned over to jail staff, he allegedly asked one of the jail deputies for Hutto’s address, stating that someone would be paying Hutto a visit, which earned Franklin an extra charge of making terroristic threats.